Positive progress on bowel cancer services but waiting time challenge remains

CAUD005/2005 | 3 October 2005

Positive progress is being made in key aspects of Scotland’s bowel cancer services, according to a report published today by the Scottish Parliament’s Audit Committee. Read the report on bowel cancer services.

The Committee found that most bowel cancer patients in Scotland receive high quality well co-ordinated care and that there are many examples of services becoming more efficient and “patient friendly”.

The Committee did, however, express concern that the waiting time target for patients referred on an urgent basis was unlikely to be met and emphasised that more must be done to improve the way in which patients are referred to specialist services by their GP.

Committee Convener Brian Monteith MSP said:

“The Committee commends the positive progress being made in key aspects of Scotland’s bowel cancer services. More and more services are meeting important clinical standards and survival rates show a marked improvement.

“We acknowledge, however, that the service still faces significant challenges, particularly in meeting the 2005 waiting time target for bowel cancer services and in improving GP referral systems.

“That said, our Committee is keen to highlight the positive steps made in improving the quality of care being given. We look forward to hearing more from the Scottish Executive Health Department on how it hopes to address the concerns we have raised.”

The Committee also recommended that the Health Department take action to train more staff to carry out endoscopy diagnostic tests. This is essential to improve waiting times and meet the extra demand created by the bowel cancer screening programme which is to be introduced in 2006.

Background notes:

The Scottish Executive Health Department waiting time targets state that, by the end of 2005, the maximum wait from urgent referral to treatment for all cancers would be two months. In the third quarter of 2004 only 60 per cent of patients in Scotland started treatment within the two month target period. The Audit Committee’s report is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website.

The report sets out the Committee’s findings and recommendations in relation to its inquiry into the report of the Auditor General for Scotland entitled:

“A review of bowel cancer services. An early diagnosis.” (AGS/2005/2) This report is available online at:

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk

The Audit Committee held one oral evidence session on 17 May 2005 when it took evidence from Dr Kevin Woods, Head of Scottish Executive Health Department and Chief Executive of the NHS in Scotland, David Steel, Chief Executive NHS Quality Improvement Scotland; Mr Ian Finlay, Consultant Surgeon, Glasgow Royal Infirmary; Mrs Pauline Ferguson, Programme Manager, Cancer Services Improvement Programme and Mr Fergus Millan, Head of Screening and Surveillance Branch Centre for Change and Innovation and Mrs Liz Porterfield, Head of Clinical Strategies: Cancer Branch, Scottish Executive.

The contact for members of the media is:

Sally Coyne Tel: 0131 348 6269
email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk

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